“The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.” – Mark Twain (allegedly, but probably not)

Let’s be clear, I don’t ever expect nice weather in June. Hello, I’m from Seattle…I don’t even expect sunshine until July 5th to be exact. But man oh man is this June gloom in San Francisco the real deal. Thanks to micro-climates in the city our neighborhood tends to start out with a bit of sunshine but the moment I pull my blinds to greet the day I see the fog rolling over the hills (a truly magical sight which almost makes the gloomy afternoons worth it).

The gloom combined with about a month and a half of weekend travel has left me exhausted and really feeling the need for a recharge. I got home from work last week and didn’t just want I NEEDED a hot cup of soup. I chopped up every veggie I had, added some wild rice and made a take on chicken soup minus the chicken. This soup was extra special though, my secret…I added about a tablespoon of miso paste I’ve had around waiting for the right moment to use. Well folks, this was that special moment and guess what, it was incredible. It added a wonderful depth of flavor to the broth. Next time you need that warm comfort stir in 1-3 tablespoons at the end of cooking for a unique and lovely spin on a healthy cup of soup. An added bonus…miso delivers lots of great health benefits!

Miso Veggie Chicken Soup

• Saute onions and garlic
• Chop up and add any veggies you have on hand, I used peas, zucchini and spinach (add spinach at the very end so it is just barely wilted from the finished hot soup)
• Immediately add about 1/4 – 1/3 cup wild rice (depending on how much soup you are making and your preference) and 1 carton of chicken stock to cook until the rice is completely done, usually about 15 minutes
• Last, stir in your miso, 1-3 tablespoons to your taste and add spinach
• Serve hot and enjoy!